excommunication
C2Formal
Definition
Meaning
The formal act of expelling someone from the membership and sacraments of a Christian church, especially the Roman Catholic Church.
Any act of officially excluding or shunning someone from a group, community, or organisation as a form of severe censure.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Historically and primarily a religious/ecclesiastical term, but can be used metaphorically in secular contexts to describe a severe, formal ostracism.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is used identically in both religious and metaphorical contexts.
Connotations
Carries heavy connotations of religious authority, finality, and severe social/spiritual punishment.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties, primarily encountered in religious, historical, or formal metaphorical discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject: authority] issued/threatened excommunication against/for [Object: person/group][Subject: person] faced/risked excommunication for [Object: action/belief]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(to be) beyond the pale (metaphorically related)”
- “to read someone out of the party (secular equivalent)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used; potential metaphorical use for expelling a partner from a firm or consortium.
Academic
Used in historical, theological, and sociological texts discussing religious discipline or social ostracism.
Everyday
Very rare; might be used metaphorically for severe exclusion from a group.
Technical
Core term in canon law (Catholic Church) with specific procedures and effects.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bishop was forced to excommunicate the heretical preacher.
- They threatened to excommunicate him for his public dissent.
American English
- The archbishop excommunicated the politician over the abortion vote.
- Can the Pope excommunicate an entire diocese?
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form derived directly from 'excommunication').
American English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form derived directly from 'excommunication').
adjective
British English
- The excommunicate priest had no parish to return to.
- They lived as excommunicate members, shunned by their community.
American English
- The excommunicated senator could no longer receive sacraments.
- He wrote a book from an excommunicant's perspective.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In the past, excommunication was a very serious punishment.
- He was afraid of excommunication from his church.
- The medieval pope issued a bull of excommunication against the king.
- Excommunication meant you were cut off from the spiritual life of the community.
- The theologian argued that the automatic excommunication for procuring an abortion needed re-evaluation.
- Her radical views led to her virtual excommunication from the academic establishment.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: EX- (out) + COMMUNION (shared fellowship) + -ATION (the act of) = the act of putting someone out of the shared fellowship.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CHURCH/COMMUNITY IS A BODY, excommunication is AMPUTATION/CUTTING OFF A LIMB.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'экскоммуникация' (a direct transliteration, not standard). The standard Russian equivalent is 'отлучение (от церкви)'. Avoid calquing as 'исключение из общения'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'excomunication' (missing one 'm').
- Confusing with 'exorcism'.
- Using it for informal, minor exclusion.
Practice
Quiz
In a modern metaphorical sense, 'excommunication' from a political party would mean:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in a metaphorical sense. The term is often used to describe a severe, formal exclusion from any group, like a political party, a professional body, or a social circle, though this is an extension of its core religious meaning.
Not necessarily. In many Christian traditions, excommunication is intended to be medicinal—to bring the sinner to repentance. It can be lifted (through absolution or lifting of the ban) if the person meets certain conditions.
Excommunication is primarily exclusion from the sacraments and community of the faithful. Anathema is a stronger, more solemn form of excommunication often involving a formal curse and a complete cutting off, historically used for heresy.
In active religious discourse (e.g., news about church discipline), the verb may be more common (e.g., 'The church excommunicated him'). In historical or general discussion, the noun 'excommunication' is standard.